presidential favorability ratings reflect a lot more than ideological agreement with the president’s agenda. The strength of the economy, the proximity of a flag-rallying moment like the attacks of September 11, the president’s charisma, and the effectiveness of his opposition’s attacks are all factors.

Yeah, peace and prosperity are ratting getters.

And a disingenuois clue

, the successful shift in GOP animus from Clinton to Obama among Republicans suggests that a significant portion of Republicans can be whipped into a fervor against any Democrat when their leaders and news sources criticize him, even if they would be softer on him once the attacks subside and they can assess his record more rationally.

Anyone who lived through the 2008 primaries knows that this is not just about Republicans and THEIR news sources. Newsweek which has been a print partner on MSNBC knows about whipping in fervor.

Obama’s young fans were the ones who didn’t remember “peace and prosperity” so they bought the “fervor whipping”

Now it’s their own turn to be whipped – by their own choice, Obama.

The fallacy that the two had the same agenda is belied by the opposite results.

Clinton was a Democrat not a circle D.

Had Obama had the same agenda as Clinton, unemployment woudn’t be so prevalent. A real stimulus would have turned this around.

A real healthcare reform as well.

And as people herd Clinton recently: he doesn’t insult voters. On either side of the spectrum.

Ni hissy fits “why don’t you adore me”? either.

So the conclusion of the article is as misgiuded as is disingenuous

None of this proves that President Obama’s agenda is, or isn’t, popular on the merits. But it does suggest that a decline in his popularity should not be overinterpreted as a major rejection of his policies when the last president to articulate the same agenda is much more popular than he is.

The truth is as they love to say: unprecedented!

or maybe they stumbled on the answer here

And how do you explain that George W. Bush left office with an abysmal 22 percent approval rating despite aping not only Reagan’s policies but getting many of the same results, such as increased inequality and big budget deficits?

And considering the efforts Newseek and the rest of the media made to keep Clinton down and Obama up, one could almost call this headline “whining”.